Fate plays into BOD’s hands

The saying goes that a sporting injury is one man’s misfortune but another’s opportunity and the situation in which Brian O’Driscoll now finds himself offers several as he prepares for his final Test as a British & Irish Lion.

The tour-ending hamstring tear suffered by Sam Warburton during the defeat to Australia last weekend has opened the door for O’Driscoll to captain the Lions in the series-deciding third Test in Sydney on Saturday.

That gives the 34-year-old the chance of finally finishing a Lions Test as skipper after his leadership of the 2005 tour came to an abrupt halt thanks to that infamous spear tackle minutes into the series opener with New Zealand in Christchurch. And, more importantly, the four-time tourist now has the possibility of bowing out in style with a first series victory of his 12-year journey in the iconic red jersey, making amends for the agony of losing the final two Tests in Australia on his first tour in 2001 and the first two in South Africa four years ago.